Drowning
by AppleR3
Summary: The unspoken words of 'wait for me' rings through his actions loud and clear, because he can't fathom a world that didn't have him and her together.


AN: I have been obsessed with Backstreet Boy's Drowning lately, and just had to do this. Please read and review!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

…

As _Backstreet Boys' Drowning_ starts floating in the air around them, a song from many years ago, she looks up at him with a mixture of surprise and amazement. His lips quirk up into a small smile, and he lowers himself into a slight bow, one hand behind his back and the other out in offering.

"May I have this dance?"

His voice comes out soft, barely above a whisper, but his gaze holds her own and she feels something inside her click. And so she puts her hands in his like she has done time and time again, and suddenly, everybody around them disappears and it is just _them._

He whisks her away to the dancefloor, their fingertips tangling and his right arm wrapped securely around her waist, and she feels like home. There are sparks in his eyes and fireworks in hers, and their hearts are skipping beats. And in this moment, everything fades away just like it did five years ago.

…

 _Don't pretend you're sorry_

 _I know you're not_

 _You know you got the power_

 _To make me weak inside_

…

 _Five years ago, he had no way of knowing that the girl he met in his first year of law school would be the first to make him smile._

He notices her right away. She is all made up in a nude tank top and tight black skirt with absurdly high heels, a frappe in one hand and a novel in the other. He scoffs when he catches sight the title. _The Notebook. What a girl._ She walks right past him where he is standing in line for his coffee, and doesn't look at him twice. Naruto, who is with him, cannot take his eyes off her, eyes trailing on her behind as she walks past them.

"Wow, she's hot. I'd tap that," he whispers, and he thinks Naruto might as well have yelled it out for the entire coffee shop, inwardly groaning as she turns at the comment. Her bright green eyes glare at Naruto in an irritated fashion, her lips twisting into a scowl and he smirks. Naruto was such an idiot sometimes.

"Excuse me?"

Her voice, although smooth like liquid honey, is laced with an underlying threat that has Naruto laughing nervously. Sasuke's smirk widens, and when she shifts her gaze to him, he pretends not to be thrown off by her direct stare.

"What are you looking at? I'd wipe that irritating smirk off your face if I were you."

He doesn't know what's possessed him, but the words that leave his mouth are not what he expects.

"I like that you're feisty."

Her eyes immediately widen in surprise and pink dusts her cheeks, and she splutters in disbelief before huffing indignantly, turning around with a flick of her hair, leaving him and Naruto behind. While Naruto still finds it in himself to focus on how those heels make her ass look, he is more focused on the vivid green of her eyes, conceding that she yes, she is very pretty.

The second time he sees her, she is perusing the shelves of romantic fiction in the library, humming to herself tunelessly, four thick books balanced precariously in one arm. This time, she is in a bright red crop top and little denim shorts, and her hair tumbles down her back in messy waves. She is so distracted she doesn't even notice when he moves to lean against the shelf next to her. Everything about her is so obscenely bright, and he doesn't know why he's so compelled to get to know her because he _hates_ colour, but when she pulls out her fifth book and turns around, bumping straight into him, books falling to a messy heap at their feet as she lets out a guilty laugh, he smiles.

"Sorry," she mumbles, pink spreading across her cheeks almost instantly as she bends down to pick them up. He crouches down to help, and when she looks up at him, her eyes widen in recognition and her cheeks flush a darker shade of pink, Sasuke finds himself delighting in this reaction he has earned from her. He marvels at the green of her eyes as she nibbles on her lower lip nervously, sighing exasperatedly as she tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. When she breaks into a shy, earnest smile, he feels his treacherous heart skip a few beats.

"Thanks. And sorry. For…you know. Last time. I'm Sakura."

…

 _And girl you leave me breathless_

 _But it's okay_

 _Cause you are my survival_

 _Now hear me say_

…

 _Five years ago, he had no way of knowing that he'd marry the girl he asked to dance._

Five years ago, they are at their annual ball when the slow songs come on, and he strides across the ballroom, steps sure, and asks her for a dance.

"May I have this dance?" he asks, and he is sure she can hear the nervousness in his voice. They have known each other for nearly three years now, and it is only now that he finds the courage to take their friendship to another level. When she blushes prettily and takes his hand, he almost feels like a giddy teenager.

 _I can't imagine life without your love_

 _And even forever don't seem like long enough_

 _Cause every time I breathe I take you in_

 _And my heart beats again_

 _Baby I can't help it_

 _You keep me drowning in your love_

He carefully puts his arms around her waist, trying not to stand too close to her, trying to act nonchalant when her arms wrap themselves around his neck. All of a sudden his suit feels too tight and the air around him feels too hot, and he doesn't know what to do with this newfound proximity, with the heat coming off her body, with the way her breath hitches every time he moved his hands. But as they sway awkwardly to _Backstreet_ Boys' _Drowning_ , something in him clicks.

For the first time, he notices the little specks of black and the different shades of green in her eyes. They are glowing with an emotion he can't quite place, but the way she alternates between nibbling on her bottom lip and smiling up at him warms his heart. He knew then that something about them dancing in the middle of all the other law undergraduates who are laughing and drinking and falling in love, was _just right._ Their friends are watching, hers giggling and his not-so-subtly cheering, but they don't notice. Suddenly, he doesn't feel like that awkward boy trying to ask his crush for a dance, but like he has known her for an entire lifetime and many lifetimes before.

…

 _And every time I try to rise above_

 _I'm swept away by love_

 _Baby I can't help it_

 _You keep me drowning in your love_

…

 _Five years ago, he had no way of knowing that he would fall in love for the first time in his twenty three years_.

It isn't so much a _fall,_ but more of a culmination of three years of subtle, gradual inching. But when his understanding of what happened sets in, it is with an abruptness that makes his stomach lurch.

He doesn't know when it began, but he started tuning out Kakashi's lectures in favour of observing her. He memorised her features and every subtle shift of her body, the way her brows would furrow when Kakashi said something that didn't sound right, the way her lips would twist when she was annoyed, the way her eyes sparkled when she approved of something. He had no way of knowing that in their mock trials he would intentionally aggravate her, say anything to get her angry, because she was beautiful when her face flushed red from anger, when her eyes narrowed in warning, when she grit her teeth and a low growl escape her lips. Seeing her embrace her strengths was somehow cathartic.

He doesn't know how, after just _one_ dance, they became inseparable.

"I was thinking, that I should stop wearing heels so much," she says through the phone. "Ino's been saying they make my ass look great and I never believed her, but today, this guy had the nerve to slap my butt as he walked past." He can hear her munching angrily, on what he guessed were most likely kumara chips. "I showed him I've got a mean right hook, of course. But still." She sighs.

"Don't stop because of one idiot," he says, making a note in his lecture notes, cell phone pressed tightly to his ear. "Your ass does look great in heels, I won't lie about that." He can feel the heat from her cheeks through the phone, and he smirks. "But I would've loved to see your right hook in action."

Sasuke makes it a habit to call her almost on a daily basis. In spite of his quiet tendencies, their conversations were always easy, and very, very long. More often than not, he found her annoying. She talked too much, she didn't always know when to keep her opinions to herself and she jumped to conclusions a lot, but she was charming in her own way and Sasuke was growing more and more attached to her every single day.

"So I was thinking, that we should try that new Italian place tomorrow," she says through the phone. "Ino said we shouldn't because we're meant to be on a diet together, and I know it's true because I can barely fit into my skinny jeans now but I just really, really love pasta!" He can imagine her scrunching up her nose as she whines, and he rolls his eyes.

"Listen, Sak. You can stuff your face with whatever you like, I don't care. I'll pick you up at six tomorrow. Wear something nice."

He smiles as she chokes on her saliva, and he can all too clearly picture her bulging eyes and flaming cheeks.

"Pick me up…like…a date?" she squeaks, and he hums in agreement. She doesn't say anything for a long time, and his smile gradually turns into a frown.

"Not the response I was expecting," he says patiently. "I was thinking there'd be some tears. Or maybe some screaming. Definitely some screaming."

"Sasuke-kun. Will you kiss me through the phone?"

And then she laughs, bright and cheerful like dandelions in summer days and Sasuke's heart is full.

…

 _Maybe I'm a drifter_

 _Maybe not_

 _Cause I have known the safety_

 _Of falling free into your arms_

…

 _Five years ago, he had no way of knowing that the girl he asked to dance would be the girl who broke down his barriers, who taught him that it was okay to be vulnerable, that it was okay to trust._

He watches as the raindrops trickle down the window pane, his fingers absentmindedly combing through her hair. She leans against his chest comfortably, head on his shoulder and mewls in delight at the feel of his fingers in her hair. A plush pink blanket is draped over them and he wonders if he has ever felt more vulnerable. Perhaps his lips have loosened after their moment of passion, but he is surprised himself when he starts spilling his secrets.

As if sensing his hesitation, she grabs his left hand from her waist, and puts it directly above her heart. He can feel her heartbeat, deep and strong and so _in rhythm_ with his. This comforts him somewhat, and as he talks, he can feel the space between them waning, every word that slipped past his lips made the idea of _them_ and what they _could be_ so much more tangible.

He talks to her about his brother and his all-encompassing love, about his loyalty and strength and how much he wants to be just like him. He talks to her about days when Itachi used to pick him up from school, when he used to ride piggy back on the way home, days when Itachi would kiss his scraped knees and read him stories at bedtime.

He tells her about his mother, about her dark, dark eyes that were always warm, about her arms that used to wrap around him a little too tightly, about the lunches she used to pack that he didn't always appreciate it.

"The car had flipped so many times…I…all I remember is drifting in and out of consciousness and the taste of blood in my mouth and the smell of gas…and people were screaming and my whole body…God there was so much pain…and…and I was so exhausted…she…she died instantly, they said. I…God I can't even imagine how scared she must've been."

He tells her about his father, about his strength and how the words _'That's my boy'_ made him feel. He tells her about how his heart swells with pride when his father smiles at him, and about how losing his mother broke their relationship. He tells her about his father's sobs that echoed in the silent halls of their home late at night, about how Itachi took up more shifts at the hospital and about how conversations with his father became strained. He talks about how one day, after yelling and screaming at each other, they broke down and truly allowed each other to grieve and heal. She lets him be vulnerable and raw and real and tells him that she loves him, all of him, even where it hurts.

It hits him like a wave that knocks him off his feet, and the next thing he knows is there are tears streaming down his cheeks and he is reaching for anything to keep him afloat. _Sakura._

"Oh, Sasuke-kun. You don't have to be strong all the time."

…

 _I don't need another lifeline_

 _It's not for me_

 _It's only you can save me_

 _Oh, can't you see?_

…

 _Five years ago, he had no way of knowing that one woman could make him doubt pursuing his lifelong dream._

For as long as he can remember, he has always looked up to Orochimaru, one of the greatest crown prosecutors in Japan. Every year, Orochimaru takes _one_ associate and trains them to be one of the best. Ever since he was in college he knew that this was what he wanted to do, but when the offer letter comes, the decision to leave Konoha isn't as easy to make as it once would have been. Unsurprisingly, one of the major factors in his hesitation is her. Of course, he will be leaving her to be a better lawyer, to chase his dreams. He has a family lineage to live up to, the unwavering belief his mother had in him before she passed, the pride he wants to see in his father's eyes and the crinkle of faith in his brother's eyes. He has a need to prove to himself that he deserves his family name, that he can make it out there. But there is also a need to protect her from herself. Because as strong and independent and confident as she is, he still sees a girl who would throw away her entire future to follow him if it meant being with him. But he wants her to experience a life where she isn't preoccupied with him because without having to worry about him, she will do great things. He can imagine her ten years from now, one of the most sought after medical lawyers, running her own firm, and he owes her the opportunity to find that out for herself.

He watches with bated breath as she reads his offer letter with shaky hands, tears pooling in the corners of her eyes and something in his chest _hurts._ She takes a few deep, steadying breaths and then looks up at him, eyes far too shiny for his liking, but her smile is a genuine one.

"I think you should go, Sasuke-kun. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity and…I…I'd hate for you to miss out on it."

Her selfless, all-encompassing, unconditional love makes him love her even more than he thought possible, and he feels his world tilt on its axis as he thinks of how easy it would be to _just stay._

He cups her face in his hands, eyes boring into her own. He watches as she closes her eyes, a whimper escaping her lips as she tries not to cry. He kisses her, long and hard, then short and sweet. He kisses the knuckles of her right hand, her shoulder, he jawline, her lips. He holds her to him, whispering her name over and over again.

The unspoken words of _wait for me_ rings through his actions loud and clear, because he can't fathom a world that didn't have _him_ and _her_ together.

…

 _I can't imagine life without your love_

 _And even forever don't seem like long enough_

 _Cause every time I breathe I take you in_

 _And my heart beats again_

 _Baby I can't help it_

 _You keep me drowning in your love_

…

 _Five years ago, he had no way of knowing just how hard it would be to say goodbye._

They are at the airport, almost frozen in their spot as a sea of faces move in an unseen current. It is getting harder and harder to breathe, and he uncomfortably shifts the strap of his bag on his shoulder with his left hand, his right hand holding on to hers. He looks down at her and seeing the crushed expression on her face causes his chest to tighten painfully at the notion that he is hurting her, and he swallows the lump in his throat.

"Sasuke-kun...I…I can't tell you how much I'll miss you," she starts, tone heavy with the weight of all the sorrow she has felt for the past month. "Will…will you call? When you've got the time?" her voice trembles, and he tries to hold back his own tears. A soft, too broken smile forms at his lips and he removes his hand from hers, reaching out and tapping her forehead, a gesture of fondness he has reserved only for her, the only promise that ever held weight. Her eyes widen and her cheeks colour, and for a second the world around them disappears.

"I'll see you when I'm back," he promises, and as he turns around and makes his way to the boarding gate, he hopes against all hopes that she would wait.

…

 _And every time I try to rise above_

 _I'm swept away by love_

 _Baby I can't help it_

 _You keep me drowning in your love_

…

 _Five years ago, he had no way of know just how painful it was to miss someone_.

The two years he spends apart from her are two of the hardest years in his life, but also the best. He sits in on all of Orochimaru's cases, has worked long hours for weeks on end, takes all cases Orochimaru throws his way, he appears in the law journals, making a name for himself. He has gone through days of surviving on ten cups of coffee and two hours of sleep, sometimes he is so busy he doesn't leave the office for days, he has taken every criticism thrown his way and improved himself until even Orochimaru admits that he has become one of _the best_ lawyers he has seen.

But _God, did he miss her._ He doesn't have time to call her as often as he'd like, nor has he visited her in the two years since he's left. But he subconsciously searches for pink in the crowd, always doing a double take when he sees pink. He wonders if she still cries herself to sleep and if she still thinks about him.

He misses her the most when the rain falls and the sun disappears, and he dreams of her legs tangled in his as they laze on the couch. He misses her when he wakes up in the middle of the night, in a bed too big and too cold. He misses watching her whole face light up when she smiles and the sound of her laughter. He misses the way she held him, kissed him, made him see himself as someone more than his looks and his name. He misses staying up well past midnight to hear stories about things she's kept hidden for so long and sometimes about things that didn't make sense at all.

Sometimes, when he has a moment to himself, he wonders if the sacrifices he has made to be here are worth it. Sakura is the biggest sacrifice of them all, but he also misses Naruto. Naruto, the blonde idiot he secretly regards as his best friend, who has been with him since they were toddlers, is a burst of energy he never thought he'd miss. He never thought he'd miss being dragged to Ichiraku's for ramen, never thought he'd miss the loud whining, never thought he'd miss the boisterous laughter and the embarrassing comments, but he does. So when Naruto rings him at three in the morning, nervous and jittery about proposing to Hinata the next day, or at four in the morning practicing his opening speech for his court case, Sasuke doesn't complain.

There is the distinct sound of footsteps before they come to a pause by his desk, and he looks up to see Orochimaru looking extremely pleased with himself.

"Sasuke-kun. I have a proposal for you."

He takes the folder from him, eyes running through its contents before looking up at him, not surprised, because really, he had seen this coming. It was what he had been hoping for since before law school. Orochimaru smiles, and Sasuke knows what's expected of him.

"Opportunities like this don't come very often, Sasuke-kun. In fact, you're the first one I've offered junior partner to in the last eight years."

"I…," he begins, but he doesn't know what to say. He wants to say yes, so terribly, but he also wants to say no. He thinks of Sakura and Naruto and Itachi and his father and he looks away from Orochimaru, embarrassed by this moment of weakness. Since joining Orochimaru, he has shown himself to be capable, headstrong, confident. Always going after what he wanted and never failing. And really, the answer to Orochimaru's offer _should have_ been an easy one to make.

But Orochimaru surprises him when he chuckles. "Sasuke-kun. Sometimes, there is more to life than just your career. Why don't you take the weekend off to clear your mind, and you can come back to me on Monday with your answer."

…

 _Go on pull me under_

 _Cover me with dreams_

 _You know I can't resist_

 _Cause you're the air that I breathe_

…

 _Five years ago, he had no way of knowing how beautiful hellos could be._

As he walks through the arrival gates, Sasuke adjusts the strap of his overnight bag on his shoulder, taking in deep breaths to steady his nerves. It has been two years and fourteen days since he last stepped foot in Konoha, and the anticipation at seeing her again after so long is suffocating. He scans the crowd for a hint of pink, and he swallows tightly as he tries to ignore the way his hands begin to shake and his heart begins to race.

And when he finally sports pink, his heart jumps in his throat and he bites the inside of his cheek, fists clenching. He steps forward hesitantly, and when she finally spots him from across the room, her eyes widen, and he pauses in his steps to just _look_ at her. To take her in. She had grown her hair out since he last saw her, instead of brushing her breasts they now lay in loose tendrils just above her waist. She stood up taller, more confident, still dressed herself the way she liked looking, in skinny jeans that hugged her legs and a white lace top, and incredibly high heels. He tilts his head a little as a wave of immense affection and love rushes through him, and he smiles.

The sight of his smile snaps her out of her shock, and she takes off running instantly, nearly tripping over her own feet and Sasuke wonders how she is managing in those heels. Her eyes are wide and tears are starting to well, lips twisting downwards in a broken frown, and he feels his heart clench painfully. His smile slips from his face. She's missed him too much, hasn't she? She looks so hurt, so broken by his departure, and there is a sharp pain in his heart, and he feels his own eyes prickle with tears, only now realising how much he himself was hurting without her. He drops his bag to the floor, only taking a few quick steps before she throws herself into his arms, legs wrapping around his waist while her arms cling desperately around his neck. _Sakura._

His arms immediately wrap around her waist, gripping onto her so tightly he thinks he might break her. _I'm so sorry._ And as she begins to sob furiously in his arms, he swallows past his pain and buries his face in her neck, one hand running through her hair comfortingly. _I'm so sorry for leaving you._

And just like that, Sasuke knows what his answer will be.

…

 _Cause every time I breathe I take you in_

 _And my heart beats again_

 _Baby I can't help it_

 _You keep me drowning in your love_

…

 _Five years ago, he had no way of knowing that a single yes could make his heart explode with happiness._

Ever since his return, he has been spending his every waking moment with her. He didn't know that their lives would so intertwined, that he would feel so _complete_ with her, like he had been waiting for her his entire life. It is only after her absence from his life that he realises how much he _needs_ her. He moves into her apartment almost immediately, and he has never felt more at home.

The sight of her shoes next to his and all the _colour_ in his life makes his stomach feel like it's full of butterflies. He marvels in his sense of satisfaction when, after she strains on her tip-toes for items, chocolate, more often than not, that were beyond her reach, she would shoot him a half-pleading, half-reproachful look of expectation until he helped her. He wakes up to her warm body next to his, caresses her cheeks while she sleeps, loves the way her creamy thighs are exposed when she wears nothing but one of his old shirts. Coming home to the smell of miso soup and a plate of tomatoes, and picking her up from the office when she pulls a double shift.

He marvels at how their galaxies have collided once again, and how lucky he is to have her in his arms, even after leaving her for two years, and he knows that he will never let go of her again.

The stars are out, brighter than ever, and she is all made up in a rose gold maxi dress and beachy waves. His breath catches in his throat when she shyly looks up at him for approval, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Her cheeks are rosy and her eyes are glowing and he is _in love._ He lights the bonfire and serves dinner, and they eat in comfortable silence, a mere inch of space between them, the heat from her body driving him crazy.

"Sakura. Would you like to dance?"

"There's no music, Sasuke-kun," she says, before he reaches behind the makeshift seats and pulls out a radio. It plays slow love songs he had so painstakingly chosen with Naruto's help the night before and before he knows it, his hands are on her waist and hers around his neck, and they dance until it is well past midnight. Her scent surrounds him, clinging to his senses until it is all he is aware of. She is looking back at him, her face impossibly close and she unconsciously licks her lower lip, and his hand on her hip tightens.

Cupping her head, he places his mouth on hers in a long, slow, intoxicating kiss. And in that single kiss, he pours out everything that he was feeling for her. Gratitude, affection, contentment, desire. Gradually, she melts into the kiss, sighing against his mouth and making him feel as if he was drowning. He feels everything in that kiss, everything she felt for him. Their love was unconditional, all-encompassing, something he would always cherish.

When he pulls apart, breathless, he moves his hand to cup her cheek, thumb caressing her lovingly. Affection surges through him with rattling intensity, the next words leaving his mouth before he even realises.

"Sakura…you are loved, so much more than you know."

Her breath catches, and her eyes are glowing and he _knows_ that this is the woman he wants to spend the rest of his life with. The first woman who wasn't love struck with him at their first meeting, the first woman he ever asked to dance, the woman who waited for him for two years while chased his dreams and the woman who took him back without question. The woman who loved his fears, his anxieties, his secrets and his flaws. The woman who made his heart quiver and his mind tense. The woman who could talk his ear off and break down his barriers. The woman who swore like a sailor and intimidated men. The woman who gave him her heart and soul, who had him from the moment his eyes met hers.

And he disentangles himself from her, hands digging into his pocket and he pulls out a ring, and she expels a stunned breath. "Will you be mine for the rest of our lives?" His voice comes out softer and more vulnerable than he'd like, and his throat grows tight.

Her eyes are wide and he frowns as tears begin to form, and her lips quiver the way they do before she cries. She brings her hands to her cheeks the moment her tears start to fall, and he feels his chest constrict. "You don't have to say yes," he says, heart breaking. No matter how much he wanted this, he would never force her into it. A whimper escapes her and he bows his head down, lips grazing her forehead. "It's okay," he murmurs, fingers enveloping her small wrists. He frees her hands from her wet cheeks before replacing it with his own, fingers collecting the wetness there with such tenderness her heart aches and another shudder wrecks her body.

He presses his lips more firmly on her forehead. "It's okay, Sakura," he whispers, voice soothing. His thumb moves in lazy circles along her cheeks, and she leans into his touch. He doesn't stop, encouraged by the way her breathing slowly regulates and how responsive she is to him. His lips graze her temple and move downwards, until his lips meet hers like hands in a prayer. He grasps the back of her head, holding her to him and he feels her all but melt into his kiss, deepening it as her arms wrap around his neck. He kisses her again and again, a calculated assuagement incited by the tinge of salt on her lips. When he pulls apart and rests his forehead against hers and meets her eyes, his gaze is smothered with an ardent sweetness. "I love you." He watches her lips break into a smile and he feels his throat constrict in the deliverance he finds in the glow of her smile.

And then she laughs, breathless and sweet, and he feels a warmth rush through him and his lips lift slightly to mirror her smile.

"Of course I want to," she whispers, eyes slipping shut, and he feels a cathartic sense of completion.

…

 _I can't imagine life without your love_

 _And even forever don't seem like long enough_

 _Cause every time I breathe I take you in_

 _And my heart beats again_

 _Baby I can't help it_

 _You keep me drowning in your love_

…

 _Five years ago, Uchiha Sasuke had no way of knowing that he'd marry Haruno Sakura._

He is blown away by what a full-circle moment this is. Five years ago, they danced for the first time to Backstreet Boys' Drowning, and now, their first dance as husband and wife. And while he ponders on the many things he _didn't_ know, he thinks that maybe, all along, he _did_ know. He had always known from the first time his eyes met hers that there was something once-in-a-lifetime about the way they met. That even though they were so different, in many ways, they were the same, too.

His mother used to tell him that that love always comes along when you least expect it. That when he finally meets _the one,_ he would know. And now, as he dips to capture her lips in a kiss, he knows that _that one dance_ changed everything for him, only now being able to understand the true magic of the moment and the once-in-a-lifetime moment that it was.


End file.
